The Multiverse Theory
by Liongirl5
Summary: Based on a quote from an Alternate Universe Cave Johnson. This story will show you how Wheatley starts to become almost "human" also he becomes fond of a girl named Chell.
1. Chapter 1 Dreams, Cornfields, & Cats

Wheatley was floating in space, still as lonely as he could be.

"Space, so much space!" the Space Core announced.

"Yup, I know mate, us. In space. We have been for who knows how bloody long!" Wheatley said in annoyance.

Wheatley shook his 'head,' "I wish I were down there… not in Aperture. But you know, this big round green and blue Earth. I'd like to be there in any form. Even if it means being in an entirely new universe, of some sort. I know, it's a ridiculous idea, but I would very much like that. Or! Even, being in an entirely new body! That would be good, no sparks, no dents, being able to move around on my own maybe. Without the management rail, or having a person carrying me … I bet you aren't even listening are you? Still stuck in one of your space excited…ness…"

Silence. Nothing. "Are you still there, mate?"

"Space," Space core finally said.

"Oh, for a sec' I thought you were a gonner! And it would be just me up `ere… although I wish you'd say something other than a sentence relating to space."

"So much space, need to see it all. Star. Star. Star. Getting bored of space now… Earth, Earth, wannagohomewannagohome."

Wheatley sighed, "I know, mate. I do too."

Wheatley closed his optic and entered sleep mode.

When Wheatley woke up he found himself in a cornfield.

"Probably just another bloody dream." He mumbled to himself. When he looked down he saw a human body, "Yup, another dream. Although that would be nice if it wasn't…" He said as he rose from the ground, he whipped off his newfound legs and got up and wandered around for a bit.

Chell was lying in the cornfield with her cat looking up at the sky. She lifted her wrist and looked at her watch. "Oh, time to get back home!" She said standing and lifting up Sparky, her cat. She looked across the field and saw someone standing a few yards away. "That might be Dad getting back from work!" She said racing at the figure, when she got there, she didn't see her Dad, but she saw some other man. He was tall, had tan pants, a white dress shirt, and blond hair. The man turned around and looked down at the girl.

"Oh! 'Ello! I was wonder-" She didn't let the man continue, she started running towards her house.

"MOM! THERE'S A STRANGE MAN TRESSPASSING IN OUR PROPERTY!" She yelled running.

"Great, you just blew it again… good going Wheatley. Well, it is just a dream, what could happen? …. You know on second thought, I'm not goin' to say that; there are thousands of things that could happen…. Oh just thought of the worse that could 'appen. Definitely don't want that to happen! Ok, Wheatley, stop thinking about it." Wheatley rubbed his head; he looked down to the cat looking up at him.

"Aww, you're kinda cute, want me to-" When he reached down to pet the cat, Sparky clamped his claws into his sleeve. "AUGH!" He yelled trying to shake off the cat. "The cat pulled itself up to his face and started tearing at it. "AAHHH! GETITOFF!" He yelled yanking the cat off his face. Sparky landed on his feet and hissed at him, then ran

off after the girl.

"Mom! There's a strange man in the field!" Chell said dashing through the back door. A woman came out to look out the window to see if she was right. Sure enough, there he was.

"Stay here, I'll get the shotgun." The woman said reaching for a shotgun that was in a hidden compartment for _Just in case of emergency_.

"Wheatley saw an older woman approaching him, "Oh! Brilliant! Finally! Someone I could speak to witho-" Wheatley was cut off when the woman pointed the gun at his face.

"What are you doing on our property?" She said sternly.

"Umm- well I uh- Can you please put the gun down first?"

She narrowed her eyes tightening her grip on the gun.

"Alright, I'll take that as a big N. O. No, if you don't know what I mean."

She cocked the gun, "I told you, what are you doing here?"

"…This is just a dream, nothing bad will happen, when you shoot me, I'll just wake up, back up at space." The woman turned the gun around and smacked him with the hilt of it.


	2. Chapter 2 Blaperture Mesa

Chapter 2 Blaperture Mesa

* * *

Wheatley woke up in a room, on a bed, not in space.

"Ow that was a bloody hard hit… wait, what am I still doing here? I'm supposed to be back at space!" Wheatley rubbed his jaw where it was hit. He got up and went to the sink that was in the room, he turned on the water and splashed it onto his face, maybe just a little he was hoping it wasn't just a dream.

"Maybe the door's unlocked so I could get outta here," He tried juggled the doorknob trying to open it. It was locked, "'Ello? Anyone there? Can you open the door please? Oh just open the door! No…that was a little too aggressive… _Please_ open the door?"

* * *

"Mom, the man's trying to get out…" Chell sighed, "do we have to keep him in there till Dad gets home?"

"Yes, he could be a dangerous person from Black Mesa coming to try and reclaim it. You know your father bought it out, they might want revenge!" Caroline joked.

"Mom…I'm serious! Maybe he is just confused! Maybe we should get to know him!"

Caroline shook her head, as she dipped another dish into the soapy water. "We don't know who he is! I don't want you talking to him!" She said strictly. "Fine," Chell mumbled.

_Knock, knock, knock,_ they both heard the sound and knew what it meant.

"Dad's home!" Chell said running to the door and opening it. There stood a man, brown hair, along with a suit.

"It's about time! Oh Caroline, I have thought of a new name for Black Mesa, Blaperture Mesa! The lab boys think… something else, so Blaperture it'll be!" The man said joyously. Caroline smiled, "whatever you say Cave." Her face went straight and serious, "Honey, there was someone on our property earlier."

"Did you get rid of him?" Cave Johnson asked.

"….no…"

"Where is he?"

"He's in Chells room."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I had it handled," Caroline finished. Cave took off his jacket and went to go see the man.

* * *

Wheatley heard the door jiggle, he quickly got off the bed and tried to find somewhere to hide. "Augh! Nowhere to hide!"

Too late, the door opened and there stood Cave Johnson. "Now you're gonna tel- Wheatley? What are you doing here? I thought I fired you!"

Wheatley was confused, not sure how to answer.

"umm…do I know you?"

Cave laughed, "Stop pretending you don't know who I am! It's me Cave Johnson!"

"That name does sound a little familiar, but I honestly don't know who you are."

Cave sighed and pulled out a card, "Look, how about Aperture Science Innovations? Does that ring a bell?" Wheatley widened his eyes in fear, "Yes! And I hate that place! And I wish to never return there! Ever!"

"Ok, ok, sheesh. You don't have to get so scared of it. I thought you liked working there." Wheatley raised one eyebrow, _working there?_

"I'm pretty sure I _didn't_ like working there, I mean, all I ever did was skip from job to job, not stay on one specific job. And if I remember clearly, I'm dreaming, I'm actually a core, not a human, and in space!"

"Wow Wheatley, you really did loose it when I fired you."

_Oh, ok, so apparently, he's the owner of Aperture. Should I warn him NOT to do the GLaDOS project? _Wheatley thought to himself. "Oh, just a warning, don't continue the GLaDOS project, it will backfire and you will all die."

"How'd you know about the Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System? Who gave you permission to look into those files?"

_Uh-oh, what do I say? "You did?" no, that won't do, think Wheatley, think._

"Umm, I heard you talking about it."

"Oh, alright then, got a home yet? Job?"

"…no, I uh, don't have a place to stay…or a job…"

* * *

"What do you think they're talking about?" Chell asked curiously.

"I don't know, it's probably adult talk, nothing that you need to know."

They heard the door at, Chell turned around to see Cave walk out with the man.

"This is Wheatley, he used to work at Aperture." Cave introduced.

"Wheatley, this is my wife, Caroline, and my daughter, Chell."

Chell went straight up to Wheatley, "Why are you so tall?" Why don't you work at Aperture anymore? Can you say apple? How would you use that in a sentence?" she had so many questions.

"Chell, be polite and stop asking him those questions." Caroline said

"No, it's ok," Wheatley said bending down to the 12 year old, "The first question, well, I don't know. The third, your dad knows, Apple, and, how _would_ you use that in a sentence? How 'bout, 'mmm, this apple is crunchy!" Cave chuckled, he thought it was strange that she was talking to Wheatley right away, when normally she doesn't talk at all. "Oh, and Wheatley will also be staying here in the guest room for a few weeks!"

"I am? Oh! I mean, I am!" Wheatley said.

* * *

-Next Day-

"And then the core got sent to space, to think about what it did. Stuck with another core that was completely obsessed with space!" Wheatley was telling Chell a story, well his story in disguise, at the breakfast table.

"Wow, Mr. Wheatley, you sure have cool stories!" Chell said with her mouth full of cereal.

"Wait, get me a piece of paper, I'll show you what the core looked like!" Chell grabbed a piece of paper for him, he took out a blue pen that was in his shirt pocket. "and there 'e is, ol' Whe- I mean Pendleton."

"You were gonna say Wheatley!"

"What? No!"

"Yes! You can't deny the fact!"

"I was _not_ going to say my name! That would be ridiculous!"

"Lying!"

"Fine, I was going to say my name. Oh, I have a secret, don't tell anyone, and when I mean anyone, I mean anyone." Chell smiled and listened to what Wheatley's secret was.

"Ooohh, so you're from a-" She started but Wheatley put his index finger to his mouth signaling to be quiet. "right… secret."

"One question though, who was the lady in your universe?"

Wheatley shrugged, "I don't know, she never told me. She never spoke either. I think she was mute."


	3. Chapter 3 The Gentleman on a Horse

The Gentleman on a Horse

* * *

"Ok mom! Ready to go!" Chell yelled after she got on her other shoe.

"Wait, where are you goin'?" Wheatley inquired.

"School silly, everyone has to go to school."

"…right, I knew that…"

Caroline came out with a paper in her hand, "OK, hold on, I have to give Wheatley his chores list."

"Chores?"

"Yes, if you're staying at our house, that means you have to do what we do. But since everyone is busy today, you're going to have to do it." Caroline stated.

Wheatley was quiet for a few seconds, not sure how to retort to her. _Chores? I never had to do those when I was a core!_ Wheatley grabbed the list and looked at the instructions

_Feed the cat_

_Milk the cow (instructions on other side)_

_Feed the goats and horse_

_Water the front lawn_

_Mow the front lawn_

_FINISH ALL THESE OR ELSE_

"Ok, I-I'll try my best…"

Chell waved to Wheatley good-bye, Wheatley smiled. _It's good having a friend _Wheatley thought, _and not friends that try to kill me after I make a mistake. Hmm, maybe she's got me thinkin' who is that lady in this universe. And who is Chell in mine? What if, SHE was the lady! No, that's highly doubtful…_

* * *

"Now, mowing the lawn and feeding the goats…" Wheatley walked over to the lawn mower, "Alright, I just, umm, how do I use this? Oh! I just thought o' somethin'!" he walked over to the stables and grabbed the three goats and brought them out to the front yard. "There killing 1 bird with 2 stones…or was it killing 2 birds with one stone?"

It took some time until Wheatley realized that it would take longer than he expected, he looked at his wristwatch every 5 minuets.

"This is not what I thought it would be in my head," he commented aloud no one in particular.

"Well, guess I'll 'ave to figure out how to use it…somehow…"

Wheatley walked back to the lawn mower and overlooked it to find the power button. "Alright…no buttons, there must be a lever? Or maybe," he grabbed the pull starter and pulled it, "ok, that wasn't it." The machine made a humming sound, signaling it started. "Oh! Ok! I figured it out!" He grabbed the handles and pushed it forward, now, he wasn't strong enough to keep it from continuing to go forward. He tugged with all his might to keep it from going out of the grassy lawn.

* * *

"Mow the lawn and feed the goats, check," he said whipping the sweat off his forehead, "glad that's over! Alright, what's next?" He looked down at the list to do the next thing. "Oh no…feeding the cat? That lil' devil hates me!"

Wheatley was unsure how to get the food bowl without waking the sleeping kitten, which was right next to the bowl. "Hmm, how will I do this?" Wheatley thought aloud. Wheatley had just the idea, he crouched down low and snuck up on the bowl, "_Screech!" _His shoe scuffed across the ground waking the sleeping kitten. The cat opened its eyes and spotted what made the noise. It darted at his foot and started… _playing_ with the shoelaces. "Umm… ok, this is- kind of cute!" Wheatley picked up the kitten and placed it on his shirt to keep the fuzzy thing warm. "Alright, let's feed you," he said grabbing the food bowl and bringing it to the kitchen counter. "Food, food where is it? Ah! Here it is!" He grabbed the kitten food and put just enough in the bowl.

"There you go little one, here's your food," he took the kitten out of his shirt and set him on the ground along with his food.

* * *

It has been 4 hours and Wheatley finished all the chores, he had trouble with milking the cow, but he got the hang of it after a while. Probably a long while, but nonetheless he got it. Wheatley was now lying on the couch resting, legs dangling over the other side. He heard a ringing sound coming from the kitchen.

"What's that noise," he questioned getting up and following the noise. It was a phone, Wheatley had only heard about telephones, strange for him. He picked it up and listened to what the person was saying.

"Ello? …Yes this is the Johnson residence. They aren't available at the moment…this is Wheatley, a friend of theirs… no why? … uh-huh… ok…. What? …. What'd she do? … socked a kid on the nose? Why'd she do it? … Hmm … Ok, right away." Wheatley set down the phone and put back on his shoes, he paused for a moment, "…wait, where in the bloody world will I find a vehicle?" He walked out the front door and looked around, "Aha! I'll use the horse!"

* * *

The trotting of hooves echoed through the empty street, and a voice cheerily crying out with joy.

"Oh man alive! Never thought I could ride a horse! I wonder if all humans can ride it easily! Having a whale of a time! 'Wheatley, horse riding is dangerous!' _They_ said, 'You'll die if you rode one' _they_ said! Well I proved 'em all wrong! Now, where is the school?" He trotted down the avenue and found the school, he didn't know why, but shivers went down his spine when he looked at it.

"That place doesn't look like a place for kids! It looks more like a bloody prison for kids!" He halted the horse and brought it to a tree and tied it there.

"Stay here while I go get Chell." He rubbed the horse's head and walked into the prison-like school.

* * *

"You don't understand, Wheatley!" Chell said as the walked out of the school.

"Well what was his name?"

"Rick, he was getting annoying!"

"Why?"

"He keeps calling me pretty and all that, and then he lies about being and adventurer."

_Adventurer_, that part snapped in the back of his head. Rick the Adventure Sphere?

"Ok, ok, I believe you, but you didn't have to _punch_ him!"

"Yes I did, he deserves it! Along with his know-it-all jerk friend Craig!"

_Know-it-all… Craig_, Craig the Fact Sphere?

"hold on, what, let me ask, is there _anyone_ that wants to be an astronaut in your school?"

"Yah, he's an exchange student from Canada, why?"

"No reason…"

"Ok," Chell said, she then noticed that there was the horse, "Wheatley? Why'd you take my horse."

"Umm- well, that's a funny story, I um, don't know how to drive a car. And I apparently know how to ride a horse. So horse it was."

* * *

The door slammed shut behind the two after they walked in.

"Hey, you know when I asked about the exchange student?" Wheatley asked.

"Yah, why _did_ you ask?"

"Well, this will sound like I'm crazy, but, here it goes. Alright, the story I told you about the core? Well, that's a true story!"

Chell gave him a _What!? Are you crazy,_ look.

"I'm not crazy! Trust me! Well, I was the personality core that turned evil and all the stuff, but you know those three boys you mentioned earlier? Well, those were personality cores also! In _my_ dimension, Rick was the Adventure Core, Rich the Fact Core, and the exchange student was Space Core. I know I sound crazy, _but_, there is more to it I haven't told you! The evil robot, GLaDOS, was actually… please forgive me saying this, your _mother_, your father was working on the GLaDOS project so that _he_ would be put into it. He had full intention for it to be him, but he _died_ before he could, he was poisoned by crushed up moon rocks. So instead it was Caroline who got put into it. Also, I figured out who you are in my dimension… you were the lady." Chell held back tears, not wanting to believe him one bit, "No, I don't believe, you, you're lying." She ran off into her room.

"There you go Wheatley, that's what you get I guess."

_You were _ designed _to be a moron. You're not just a regular moron. You were the tumor that made me an idiot!_ Wheatley heard that echo through his head, _designed to be a moron… you make bad decisions_, it was _her_ voice. Still there, her cold, murderous, yet calm, voice.

"There you are, moron." He heard _her_ voice, he panicked and turned around as fast as he could stumbling over everything.

"Ah!" That word pierced through him like a bullet when she said it.

"It's alright, it's me Caroline"

Wheatley sighed, "Oh, um, school called, Chell came home early."

"Why?"

"I think you should go talk to her for that. Oh, and Is Mr. Cave still at work, because I have something farley urgent to tell him…"

**_TO BE CONTINUED…_**

**A/N: **Ok, wow, this was a _very_ long chapter. I was trying to make up for the days I missed.


End file.
